drivetofive

Odometer:  474,031

My friend Kevin and I took a trip back in time yesterday to a town in southeastern Arizona that’s notorious for its history in the Wild West:  Tombstone.  It’s a town, appropriately, of  “Ghosts and Legends” as noted in this sign I had to capture during our visit.

Tombstone is home to daily gunfight reenactments at the O.K. Corral.  Today, the town of 1600 residents survives primarily on tourism since it’s so far removed from civilization and is basically in the middle of nowhere in the Arizona desert.   Not the place to break down in a 500,000 mile car!   But we made the round trip safely and in the comfort of A/C and with good music along the way.  Kevin and I belted Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” at one point and put the car’s Bose speakers to full use.  Here’s a little more light reading on the town of Tombstone itself:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone,_Arizona

It took Kevin and I about 3 hours to get there from the Phoenix metro area, via Interstate 10 eastbound and through Tucson.  We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the old west for a little while (and fantastic root beer floats) and then continued on our way to Sierra Vista, Fort Huachuca, and back to I-10 for the return leg of our trip.  Here are a few photos from our half-day adventure.

Entrance to town from the north side of town on Arizona Hwy 80:

And a shot at Wyatt Earp’s Old Tombstone village:

Just prior to the trip, I got a $47 full service oil change (no coupon this time!) at Acura of Tempe with 5W30 oil.  I caught the technician JUST as he was about to pull the car into the automatic wash after completing the work.  I never have them wash the car.  I’ll handle that on my own, thank you!  The notes on my paperwork indicate that everything checks out with the exception of a burned out front left marker light bulb and inoperative washer fluid nozzles (they’ve been broken since 2008).  The tech recommended a power steering flush and a transmission service, which is odd since I just had them change the MT fluid on my last visit at 467k.

The temps in Phoenix continue to creep up and we’re into triple digit territory already this year.  Welcome to oven mitt weather!  Let’s see how the old Legend fares through another Arizona summer.  A/C blows ice cubes so for that I’m grateful.

Odometer:  473,108

Roadtrip weekend!  Had a couple of new adventures in the old Legend.  On Saturday I delivered a set of wheels to my friend Tommy who met up with me in Indio, California – a short 4 hour drive each way from Phoenix.

This morning, I picked up 3 friends (Matt, matt’s mom Mahnaz, and Linh) and we headed northbound to the forested mountains of Arizona.  The 2 door was surprisingly accommodating for all of us and it made the ascent from Phoenix’s 1,000 feet to Flagstaff’s 7,000 foot elevation without too much complaining.  I had to spend a fair amount of time in 5th gear through the 65 mph grades on Interstate 17.  From Flag, we motored westbound to the tiny old town of Williams right off I-40.  The Grand Canyon Railway took us to the south rim of the park where we enjoyed a few hours of the sights before catching the return southbound train.  Visitors from the park appeared to range in background from so many different countries.  Those of us who are local take for granted that the park with its 1-mile deep ravines is in our own backyard.

By the time we got back to the depot at Williams it was 5:30 p.m. or so, and we squeezed back into the Legend for the 188 mile return trip to the Phoenix area.   Home in Scottsdale now and still haven’t fueled up so I’m pushing 400+ miles on this tank and the fuel reserve light still hasn’t illuminated.  Not bad!  Though the downgrade from FLG-PHX definitely helps aid MPG.  Another successful journey and the Ac didn’t skip a beat.

Mahnaz, Matt, Linh, and me at the wheel on I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff

This was our set of wheels for the last leg of the trip to the Grand Canyon:  A train operated by the Grand Canyon Railway.  Not as nimble as an Acura but a lot more leg room for our party of 4!

Welcome

Finally the obligatory shot of the park today.

Odometer:   470,011

Yesterday morning, I visited one of the many local pick-and-pull salvage yards to scout out some car parts for a friend of mine.  I always enjoy wandering through the lanes of vehicle hulks – some have lived long lives; others were cannibalized young.   It’s interesting to try and figure out what each one has been through and how it met its ultimate fate.  Of the five 91-95 Legends that I saw in this particular yard, the highest odometer was 224,000.  Such a shame to see, especially knowing that these vehicles are capable of so much more.

The Legend achieved the 470k mark last night around 10 p.m. on the eastbound I-10 and Loop 202 interchange in central Phoenix, Arizona, returning from a trip to Laka Havasu City, Arizona.

AZ history lesson:  The 1831 London Bridge that spanned the River Thames was dismantled in the 1960’s, brought to America, and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City in western Arizona.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_%28Lake_Havasu_City%29

In this weekend’s adventure I enjoyed an easy 211 mile drive each way to the landmark.  Rain and wind in Phoenix gave way to partly cloudy skies and a gorgeous sunset out at Lake Havasu.  From Interstate 10, the rest of the drive is largely on a 2-laner and the scenery is great.

Checking out the bridge.

Driving across the bridge.

This might be the best time to explain why there’s a signature on my dashboard — it’s the first thing people ask about when they ride in my car.  That signature belongs to Japanese automotive designer Shigeru Uehara.  He pioneered the development of the Honda/Acura NSX and the Honda S2000.  I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Uehara in September 2010 at an event held at Honda America’s corporate office in Torrance, California.  At that time, I’d been invited as a VIP guest for a Honda S2000 “Homecoming” event at which he spoke: